Meet the Team.

Donna Muirhead

President & CEO
Ciro Castaldi, CPA

Treasurer & CFO
Ethan Tripp, M.S., BCBA, LABA

Clinical Director
Lori Jupin, BCBA

BCBA
Marlon Williams

M.Ed., BCBA Associate
Maddy Major

Training Advisor
Monica LeBlanc, M.S.

Operations Supervisor
Elena Freitas

Operations Supervisor

Donna Muirhead

When my daughters were in kindergarten, I was so happy to be deemed the daily milk mother at snack time. My life was so fulfilled at that moment, I got to watch my daughters while they were in school, and I was able to talk to other “milk moms”. That kept me going for a while, whereas, I had just come out of working for McDonald’s Corporation for 16 years and was happy to settle into a mom routine. That milk mother job is what opened me up to working with children with autism, 23 years ago.

I had gone to college, I had an opportunity to graduate with a political science degree, that wasn’t really my passion. My passion was exposed when I worked at McDonald’s, my passion was people and serving them. It was working from the bottom up, scraping gum from under the tables to working in field services. Managing people is what I spent my time doing, from a very young age. I learned the value of appreciating the people you manage. “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so don’t want to.”- Sir Richard Branson.

I had begun a social skills program 8 years ago for kiddos with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. I quickly realized this population was greatly underserved within the ASD community. I increased enrollment from 3 to 30 within 5 years and managed about 15 staff. Under my support, our BCBA, Ethan, grew from being a timid clinician to now a powerhouse in treating our kiddos with mild to moderate social deficits. The never-ending, “never giving up on” motto became my mission as the staffing grew to all different levels of expertise and diversity.

I was blessed with a grandson who proudly owns an autism diagnosis and a great nephew who is new on this journey. My husband, Jim and I are adventurous and spontaneous, we love to ride our quads, hit the beach, and take some time out on the ocean in our boat. I have a small group of friends that I share my personal self with and a wide range of family members. My Mom and Dad are with me in spirit, every day.

Combining autism, great management of people, and a whole lot of compassion and commitment gives you a recipe for success, at least this has worked on my journey.

I look forward to serving this unique population, forever more.

Ciro Castaldi, CPA

Ethan Tripp, M.S., BCBA, LABA

One of the things you learn in art school is to appreciate the process. So far, my life can best be described as an on-going process. Starting out, I received my undergraduate degree in fine art, with a concentration in sculpture. This lead to an unexpected path of going back to school to pursue a second undergraduate degree, but this time in psychology.

During this time, a special topics class I took on Autism Spectrum Disorder acted as the catalyst for a new course into the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Soon after, I entered UMass Dartmouth's ABA program and studied under renowned Behavior Analyst, Dr. Gary Pace, who informed me I "breathe heavily", but still gave me top grades.

I have since been serving the Autism community from May, 2016 to present. On my first day, I met Donna, who immediately shoved a data sheet into my hands and told me to start working. Since this fateful moment, I have gone on to receive my BCBA certification against the backdrop of 2020 and have been working with a wide range of ages of kiddos ever since.

In my spare time, it's a well-known fact I am a wannabe Ghostbuster. With my trusty flight suit and proton pack loaded into the back of my customized Rav4 Ecto-84, I have been active locally at events such as Trunk-Or-Treats, special appearances, and parades, including the 2023 Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade. In between working with my kiddos and Ghostbusting, I try to spend as much time with my amazing girlfriend, my absolute better half, Janice.

I look forward to continuing my personal process in working with individuals with ASD, as we work as a team to find new and innovative ways of helping them be independent in their lives and integrate as a social individual into the larger society.

Lori Jupin, BCBA

I have been working with children and families for over 35 years in many different settings. After several years of wanting to return for my advanced degree, I received my Master’s Degree from UMass Dartmouth in Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis. I passed the Board certification exam and received my BCBA. Since obtaining my certification I have spent time working with families in their homes, in the school setting and now in a center based program.

In my personal life, I recently married (2023) and together we have a large blended family. I enjoy reading, beach time, making puzzles, going to the gym, doing yoga, meditation and playing pool. I also look forward to traveling to new destinations.

Looking ahead to my 5 year plan, I don’t have much desire to make many changes. I plan on continuing to work with children and families, live in the area and travel. I look forward to developing relationships with the families at Blue SEAS. I am blessed to have found this place that feels like family.

Marlon Williams, M.Ed.

Marlon is currently working for an ABA clinic as a Behavioral Therapist working with children with Autism. Marlon is also a behavioral specialist in a elementary therapeutic day program, works with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), behavioral, and other developmental disabilities. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Phoenix and studied Applied Behavior Analysis at Arizona State University and received his Master’s in Education. He is currently pursuing his Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) credentialing. Prior to working in social services, Mr. Williams was a Chef for an International Hospitality Company for over (15) fifteen years. Working for the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center with adults with substance and alcohol addictions was his initial exposure to the field of social services. After this, he began working with adolescents and young adults diagnosed with social emotional and/or psychological dysfunctions in The Department of Children, Youth and Family Services (DCYF) care. Marlon has worked with adolescents, young adults and children, in-home, inpatient, and in community settings helping them to navigate life by utilizing coping skills and strategies that display socially appropriate behaviors. Marlon continued to work with children diagnosed with ASD and other development and physical disabilities while working as a classroom behavior specialist in the Cumberland, RI elementary school system under Bradley Hospital supervision. Marlon has worked in early intervention, adolescent and adult populations for the past 6 years. He has done this through encouraging, promoting and assisting with daily life activities to ensure a better quality of life for all he has worked with.

Monica LeBlanc, M.S.

All I’ve wanted my whole life is to find ways to help people. As a teenager I volunteered at programs run by my high school and when I went off to college at Umass Amherst I joined similar programs. After finishing school, I found a job where I could help children with autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. It was then that I discovered the true passion I had been searching for. Three years later, I’m excited to take the next step forward in my career and one day, I hope to combine my love of animals with my passion for working with kids.

Outside of work, I love to spend my time around those I love and nature. Taking my dog Lucy for a walk, singing along side my dad, and tasting the amazing food my mom and little brother create.

Elena Freitas

I am currently a college student at BSU and I am seeking my bachelors degree in special education and sociology while perusing my passion of working with children. My passion for working with children with ASD started young as a close family member received a diagnosis and had amazing home service by the one and only Donna! From there I was able to be a peer model during summers and eventually began my career as an ABA therapist. I love spending time with friends and family embarking on new adventures. I’m an avid cook and baker and enjoy exploring new cuisines. I love learning new things and trying new activities. One thing I have learned from working with Donna and these amazing kids is the importance of commitment. Being able to watch the kids and families commit to a great program to further and strengthen their skills and commit to the hard work they put into their success is rewarding. Being surrounded by devoted and supportive staff makes the job feel like a home. There is no place I would rather be when I’m with my family at Blue S.E.A.S.

Maddy Major

From the second I began student helping in the special education classroom my sophomore year of high school, was the moment I knew I wanted to work with children with autism. I graduated from Westfield State University with my Bachelors Degree in Special Education Moderate Disabilities & am furthering my education, getting my Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis.
Being able to work on the student's social and life skills opened up my eyes to the endless opportunities possible. From there I ended up being lucky enough to get a job working with Donna at the Autism Center, meeting some amazing, hardworking, and loving kids, and some of the best people I know.
Love. Love is what I have learned from having the opportunity to work with children with autism.
Each and every one of our kids are pieces of sunshine in human form. They have taught me more than any amount of education could have.
Being able to build relationships and trust, and witnessing all their accomplishments, has truly been the most humbling and fulfilling experience.
Working with Donna and our crew does not feel like a job, it feels like coming in each morning to my second family. I am so lucky to have such a great team to learn from, be myself around, and feel comfortable with. Working in this kind of environment has allowed myself and my team to work to the best of our ability and to learn from every single day.
When I am not working you will find me outside, most likely fishing. I love being outdoors, being with my family and friends, and trying my best to live life to the fullest just as my dad always tells me.
I look forward to each day I get to come to work. I look forward to being able to be a part of all the milestones that these amazing kids accomplish. I look forward to seeing the growth that continues to flourish throughout each and every day